The Advanced Modular Incoherent Scatter Radar

(AMISR)
Historical Perspectives

Bob Robinson
National Science Foundation
Earth’s Atmosphere
The Ionosphere/Thermosphere/Mesosphere
Space Weather Effects
Incoherent Scatter Radars: The most direct technique
for routinely observing fundamental properties of the
ionosphere and upper atmosphere.
Ionosphere

The weak return signals

from high-power radio
transmitters are used to
deduce properties of the
ionosphere

Ionospheric Electron Electron Ion Drift Collision

and Ion Density Velocity Frequencies
Composition
Temps.
 The History of Incoherent Scatter
1955 in a Nutshell
1960 The Era of Construction for U. S. Incoherent Scatter Radars

1965

1970

1975
The National Science Foundation takes over

1980
The Era of Construction for European
1985
Incoherent Scatter Radars
1990

1995

2000 The Age of AMISR

2005

2010
 1958-1959

Bill Gordon
conceives of the idea
of incoherent scatter
and construction
begins at Arecibo,
Puerto Rico, with
funding from the
Defense Advanced
Research Project
Office (DARPA)
 1961
The Jicamarca Observatory is constructed near
Lima, Peru, by the National Bureau of Standards.
 1962
Construction of Arecibo is completed.
 1963
The Millstone Hill zenith antenna is constructed by
MIT Lincoln Laboratories at a site near Boston, MA
 1971
The Chatanika Radar is
moved from Stanford
University to a new site
near Fairbanks, Alaska.

1982
The Chatanika
Radar is moved to a
new location near
Sondrestrom,
Greenland,
 1970
The NSF Incoherent – 1980
Scatter Radar Chain-2007
Chain-2006
The U. S. National Science Foundation takes
over operation of four incoherent scatter radars

PFR
2007
Sondrestrom (SRF)
SRF
SRF
1982
1982
AMISR-
Sondrestrom
Poker Flat MH
MH
1962
1962

AO
AO
1962
1962
Millstone
Millstone
Hill Hill
(MH)

Jicamarca (JRO) JRO

JRO
1963
1963

Jicamarca Arecibo
Arecibo
(AO)
 1981
The European conquest begins with the construction
of the EISCAT UHF system at Tromso, Norway.
 1985
The EISCAT VHF system begins operation at Tromso.
 1996
The EISCAT Svalbard Radar is constructed
near Longyearbyen, Norway.
 2007
The Global Array of Incoherent Scatter Radars
Earth’s Magnetosphere
The Sun-Earth System
Theta Aurora
 The Plight of the Polar Cap Observatory

•  1987 workshop to develop technical

requirements for an ISR in the Polar Cap
•  Three design studies funded by NSF
•  Funding provided for the Early Polar Cap
Observatory
•  Polar Cap Observatory proposal submitted by
SRI
•  Proposal reviewed with excellent ratings and
strong recommendation for funding
•  PCO project put forward for funding under
NSF Major Research Equipment program
•  Removed from NSF budget by Congress in
August 1997
 AMISR: The Polar Cap Observatory
Resurrected
•  To avoid conflicts originating from radar location, NSF
recommends a portable facility
•  Workshop convened in 1998 to determine the most
favorable locations for early deployment of a portable
system
•  NSF/ATM sets aside $44M for construction of a
relocatable ISR
•  SRI submits a proposal to build the Relocatable
Atmospheric Observatory
•  NSF approves funding of the proposal, but the name is
changed to the Advance Modular Incoherent Scatter
Radar
 The Advanced Modular Incoherent Scatter Radar (AMISR)
Parts List

+ +

Solid-State Power Amplifier AMISR panel (384 pieces)

Antenna Element Unit (12288 pieces)
(12288 pieces)

384 Panel
+ Control + =
Boards

AMISR Support Structures

(3 pieces)
AMISR Faces (3 pieces)
 AMISR Prototyping and Risk
Reduction Activities
•  Antenna element design and development
•  64 test units constructed and two antenna panels
assembled
•  Design testing conducted in collaborations with USAF at
Air Force test facility in Massachusetts
•  Funding provided for “Design for Manufacturing”
activities in collaboration with electronics firm Sanmina-
Sci
•  Another award made for manufacture and assembly of 512
AEUs used to assemble 16 panels; two 8-panel systems to
deployed for testing in Alaska and Peru
•  Numerous technical reviews by external experts
•  Reasonable and sound contingency plan developed
•  Early Polar Cap Observatory provided experiences in
Arctic environment
 AMISR Management Structure

DGA NSF NSF Internal

Project
Grants Program Advisory
Officer Officer Team

External
SRI Technical
PI Advisory
Committee

SRI Subawards SRI

Finance Technical
Officer Staff
 AMISR Management Challenges

•  Oversight of subawards
•  Funding allocations not matched with construction
schedule
•  Discontinuation of critical components; changes in
manufacturing processes
•  Establishing and maintaining agreements with
industrial and international partners
•  Trade-offs between schedule, cost, and project scope
•  Overlap between construction and operations
•  Incorporating ancillary instrumentation
 The NSFU.Incoherent
S. incoherentScatter Radar Chain-2007
Chain-2006
scatter radars--2009

AMISR- Resolute PFR

Sondrestrom
Sondrestrom
(SRF)
Bay (RISR) 2007

SRF
SRF
1982
1982
AMISR-
Poker Flat MH
MH
1962
1962

AO
AO
1962
AMISR- 1962
Millstone
Millstone
Hill Hill
(MH)
Poker Flat
(PFISR)
Jicamarca (JRO) JRO
JRO
1963
1963

Jicamarca Arecibo
Arecibo
(AO)
 What’s new about the Advanced Modular
Incoherent Scatter Radar (AMISR)?

•  First incoherent scatter radar built by NSF

•  First U. S incoherent scatter radar built for
basic research
•  First phased-array, solid-state incoherent
scatter radar; allows for remote access without
the need for on-site staff
•  First incoherent scatter that allows for
continuous, low duty cycle observations
•  First modular incoherent scatter radar designed
for easy dismantling and relocation
•  First reconfigurable incoherent scatter radar